Any Experience or Opinions On a "Kel-Hm1"??

1 M.I.C · 22nd July 2007

hm1

Anyone ever used one of these?? ive heard some good things about them, but that was a while back and i havnt heard anything since then. Ive yet to talk to anyone who has used one, So i figured id throw this out there.

Im jus wondering if these are good mics for their price range (they go from around 90-130) or if their good for any price range.

T_MIX · 22nd July 2007

I bought a "matched pair" when they first came out and I still use them all the time.
In my opinion, they are horrible on voice and acoustic guitars (in general) but on more shrill sources, they are GOLD.
I regularly record acoustic violin and mandolin with great success and soprano sax ( normally a real rear puckerer ) sounds a lOT smoother.
They are a darker sounding mic that really brings out the mid and lows on the source.
I have also found it works as an exceptional overheads mic for drums particularly with hard sounding cymbals.
I would imagine they would work well on trumpets as well.

I like them, but they are for the express purpose of taming the harshness without sounding overly dull like a dynamic mic might.

My experience anyway.
Tom

1 M.I.C · 23rd July 2007

hmmm... sounds like they would be shit for me lol. thx.

1979 · 23rd July 2007

The HM1 rocks, great mic for the price.

Only used it on acoustic guitar,cello, vocals, and guitar cabs.
I think it's a great acoustic guitar mic and I've often preferred it over the more expensive 'usual suspect' small diaphragms. It's the kel's dark, mid heavy sound that I find very appealing. I guess it all depends on how you need to sit the gutar in the mix. Sometimes it's a little to dark.

It's a nice addition to the pallete, and it does n't have the shitty top, that most chinese mics have.

IMO, It does'nt set the world on fire as a vocal mic, but at its price point $129 I don't think you'll be dissapointed, Think of it as 'as useful as' an sm57.

cheers.

tINY · 23rd July 2007

Works great on choirs too.

Definately worth having a pair unless you are ONLY recording pop vocals and nylon-string guitars.

-tINY

1 M.I.C · 23rd July 2007

well i listened to the hel audio clips and it does sound pretty dark, and i have a pretty deep voice so i think it wouldnt be the best mix, but i guess i could imagine it working every now and then. i just thought the guy on the clip sounded too "boomy" for my taste, i guess that would be a proximity effect?

i guess when i expand to recording more then myself i could use some variety and it wouldn be a bad option for the price

tINY · 23rd July 2007

For voice, why not try an HM4?

-tINY

bluesman714 · 23rd July 2007

The HM-1 is great for taming Fizzy, Hissy (Crate) halfstacks!!!! It really makes any guitar amp sound good, but excells at making a crappy electric guitar rig sound almost tollerable. I have also used them with great success miking a 147 leslie & Hammond organ. +1 for drum overheads as well......for the price, get two! I bought one & liked it so well, I bought a second one. One or both come out on every session.

Bob Ross · 23rd July 2007

Wouldn't be my first choice -- or even my fourth choice -- for close-miked lead vox, but I have used a pair in X/Y about 4' away from a trio of girls doing backing vox, and the track sat perfectly in the mix w/ no EQ, compression, or major riding at all.

More of an instrument mic in my estimation. But I like 'em, and am always looking for more things to use 'em on.

Also see:

KEL HM-1 user opinions........

has anyone tried kel mic

GuitarRuss · 24th July 2007

They are featured in a few different mic shootouts that you can find in this thread.

A/B / SHOOTOUT / COMPARISON AUDIO LINKS, post and find them here!

They did really well for their price point. I've heard some comments that, for the money they are one of the best buys out there. Also, that they are useful even if you buy a bunch of more expensive mics later. Listen to the shootouts and see what you think.

GordZilla · 10th August 2007

I LOVE my HM-1s!!... they are excellent for drum OHs and outstanding as tom mics. Tough little buggers too!

Coyoteous · 11th August 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tINY

For voice, why not try an HM4?

-tINY

- looks like those are no longer available new.

They have a new mic:

http://www.kelaudio.com/hm2d.html

- which I think is a redo/replacement for their Audix-looking pencil-pop that never came out (guessing Audix had problems with that).

nDmusic · 11th August 2007

I bought one of these because they are cheap and I wanted a new flavor for my meager vocal mic cabinet. I do mostly some version of pop music producing.

For lead vocs, this mic blows IMHO. However, I absolutely love this mic on horns. It sounds really really good pointed right at the horn of a sax. Also sounds pretty good on a guitar cab for a jazzier player who has a rich tone. Otherwise, I prefer the 57 on guitar cabs. Haven't tried it for anything else.

my 2 cents...

22nd July 2007	#1
1 M.I.C Gear nut Joined: Jul 2007 Location: San Antonio Tx Posts: 139 Thread Starter	Any Experience or Opinions On a "Kel-Hm1"?? hm1 Anyone ever used one of these?? ive heard some good things about them, but that was a while back and i havnt heard anything since then. Ive yet to talk to anyone who has used one, So i figured id throw this out there. Im jus wondering if these are good mics for their price range (they go from around 90-130) or if their good for any price range.

11th August 2007	#13
nDmusic Gear nut Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 93	kel hm-1 I bought one of these because they are cheap and I wanted a new flavor for my meager vocal mic cabinet. I do mostly some version of pop music producing. For lead vocs, this mic blows IMHO. However, I absolutely love this mic on horns. It sounds really really good pointed right at the horn of a sax. Also sounds pretty good on a guitar cab for a jazzier player who has a rich tone. Otherwise, I prefer the 57 on guitar cabs. Haven't tried it for anything else. my 2 cents...

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22nd July 2007	#2
T_MIX Gear nut Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Mansfield, Texas Posts: 88	I bought a "matched pair" when they first came out and I still use them all the time. In my opinion, they are horrible on voice and acoustic guitars (in general) but on more shrill sources, they are GOLD. I regularly record acoustic violin and mandolin with great success and soprano sax ( normally a real rear puckerer ) sounds a lOT smoother. They are a darker sounding mic that really brings out the mid and lows on the source. I have also found it works as an exceptional overheads mic for drums particularly with hard sounding cymbals. I would imagine they would work well on trumpets as well. I like them, but they are for the express purpose of taming the harshness without sounding overly dull like a dynamic mic might. My experience anyway. Tom

23rd July 2007	#3
1 M.I.C Gear nut Joined: Jul 2007 Location: San Antonio Tx Posts: 139 Thread Starter	hmmm... sounds like they would be shit for me lol. thx.

23rd July 2007	#4
1979 Gear addict Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 353	The HM1 rocks, great mic for the price. Only used it on acoustic guitar,cello, vocals, and guitar cabs. I think it's a great acoustic guitar mic and I've often preferred it over the more expensive 'usual suspect' small diaphragms. It's the kel's dark, mid heavy sound that I find very appealing. I guess it all depends on how you need to sit the gutar in the mix. Sometimes it's a little to dark. It's a nice addition to the pallete, and it does n't have the shitty top, that most chinese mics have. IMO, It does'nt set the world on fire as a vocal mic, but at its price point $129 I don't think you'll be dissapointed, Think of it as 'as useful as' an sm57. cheers.

23rd July 2007	#5
tINY Gear Guru Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 10,233	Works great on choirs too. Definately worth having a pair unless you are ONLY recording pop vocals and nylon-string guitars. -tINY

23rd July 2007	#8
bluesman714 Gear maniac Joined: Apr 2005 Location: Little Rock, Ar. Posts: 282	The HM-1 is great for taming Fizzy, Hissy (Crate) halfstacks!!!! It really makes any guitar amp sound good, but excells at making a crappy electric guitar rig sound almost tollerable. I have also used them with great success miking a 147 leslie & Hammond organ. +1 for drum overheads as well......for the price, get two! I bought one & liked it so well, I bought a second one. One or both come out on every session.

23rd July 2007	#9
Bob Ross Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 2,639	Wouldn't be my first choice -- or even my fourth choice -- for close-miked lead vox, but I have used a pair in X/Y about 4' away from a trio of girls doing backing vox, and the track sat perfectly in the mix w/ no EQ, compression, or major riding at all. More of an instrument mic in my estimation. But I like 'em, and am always looking for more things to use 'em on. Also see: KEL HM-1 user opinions........ has anyone tried kel mic

24th July 2007	#10
GuitarRuss Lives for gear Joined: May 2006 Location: Taiwan (Canadian Citizen) Posts: 706	They are featured in a few different mic shootouts that you can find in this thread. A/B / SHOOTOUT / COMPARISON AUDIO LINKS, post and find them here! They did really well for their price point. I've heard some comments that, for the money they are one of the best buys out there. Also, that they are useful even if you buy a bunch of more expensive mics later. Listen to the shootouts and see what you think.

10th August 2007	#11
GordZilla Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Northwest Territories, Canada Posts: 1,033	I LOVE my HM-1s!!... they are excellent for drum OHs and outstanding as tom mics. Tough little buggers too!